Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Council of Los Angeles' St. Jerome
Conference President Mervin Hughes and Tirrell Bordenave brought 100 blankets for the homeless to the
Society's administrative offices in mid-February.
Society Executive Director David Fields and Assistant Executive Director Susana Santana accepted the blankets on behalf of the Society. Thank you Conference of St. Jerome!

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Ash Wednesday Mass was celebrated by Reverend Pedro Villarroya C.M. at the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store in Los Angeles February 13, 2013, for 40 employees, shoppers and visitors. What are you giving up - or adding to your routine - for Lent? Here is a link to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' recommendations for Lent: http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-resources/lent/. Three Catholic Lenten traditions are prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Monday, February 11, 2013

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Council of Los Angeles' Poverty Simulation took place at Our Mother of Good Council Catholic Church in Los Angeles, February 2, 2012. The simulation was an emotional eye-opener for 64 attendees, mostly Vincentian volunteers desiring to better understand the poor they serve.

Participants were placed into 15 "families" and role-played dealing with banks, thieves, pawn shops, police, legal aid and others - with a minimum of time to complete transactions. By the end of the simulation seven out of the 15 "families" had been evicted from their homes.

"I really have some insight into the stress that results from trying to keep body and soul together every month," said Vincentian Carleen Zawacki.

"After we were robbed we were just desperate, " said Vincentian Shirley Coburn, "We didn't know what to do. We didn't have any way to get our money back. We had to rush to pay the mortgage and survived. I though we were going to end up on the street."

"I really felt myself becoming physically exhausted and overwhelmed - and this was only a simulation," said Vincentian Suzanne Mingleton.

Poverty Simulation leader Afia Griffith told Vincentian volunteers they must teach the newly-impoverished to find the resources they need to survive.

Friday, February 8, 2013

VincentianTom Polenzani was recognized at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Council of Los Angeles board meeting on January 31, 2013, for Polenzani's years of dedicated service to the Los Angeles Council. Polenzani was a long-time board member and most recently council treasurer. Congratulations and thank you Tom!

Thursday, February 7, 2013

During Catholic Schools Week, the seventh and eighth grade Junior National
Honor Society students at Holy Angels School in Arcadia presented the Society
of St. Vincent de Paul, Council of Los Angeles with a quarter-truck load of
blankets, socks and hygiene kits for the homeless on Thursday, January
31,2013. School principal Ted Carroll said to the students, "You guys did a great job and I am very proud of you." Society Executive Director David Fields accepted the donations, “I want to thank you from the
bottom of my heart."

Photos (top to bottom) Students from Holy AngelsSchool in Arcadia inside the St. Vincent de Paul truck; students bring donations.